"An overlooked masterpiece that deserves a lot more attention."
I watched Mai HiME long before joining MAL so I didn't know what to say when I first saw the overall rating to be so low. Thus I decided to re-watch the show this past week to refresh my memory and to prepare for this review. If there is one thing my opinion changed about this anime since my first time watching it a few years back, it is the quality of the animation which we will get to in a moment. One short recommendation before we begin the review, get lots of tissue paper when you watch the latter half of the anime, you'll need it.
Story:
Extremely outstanding. Although the first half was somewhat slow to begin with, but the second half just throw you out the window. But without the character introductions and developments in the first half, the viewers reaction will not be as strong in the latter half. In essence, the entire show (episode per episode) was planned so that it can bring out all the emotional effects as it approach the end. That is not to say the anime is boring until the end though. In fact, most of the humorous moments reside in the earlier episodes mixing with some light fan service.
Art:
The animation quality is one of the very few things this series could have worked on. As a product made in 2004, the animation level is definitely not the best that Sunrise could have produced.
Sound:
Absolutely stunning. Mai HiME is one of those rare anime series where the OP and ED are overwhelmed by occasional theme music in between episodes. The soundtracks are so well coordinated that one can truly say the music can play with your emotion.
Character:
Due to the large number of casts in the series (there are 13 HiMEs alone, not to mention their "precious" other half), it can get messy the first time watching it. However, once you get past the confusion of knowing the characters, you'll see how well each of the characters are made. The strong links between each of the HiME, whether it is friendship, hate, or romance, all proved to be an important part of the story.
Enjoyment + Overall:
A must watch. I can't stress it enough. MUST WATCH! I don't care if you are a guy, a girl, a homo, an animal, or whatever you may be, I strongly recommend it (don't forget the tissue for the 2nd half). I hope you get my point on how much I've enjoyed this show. As for Mai-HiME's successor, Mai-Otome, I would recommend it just as much as Mai-HiME. Another definite must see!